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A warm up event for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games has been postponed by four months, thanks in large part due to delays in construction on the new Olympic Tennis Centre. The test had been initially scheduled to take place in August 2015 but will now be held in December of that year. International Olympic Committee

The new centre will seek to further the progression of tennis in America

■ Lake Nona tennis centre Orlando, US Opening: 2017

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is planning to build a US$60m (€44.1m, £35.7m) training complex to be located in in Orlando, Florida. The 63-acre project will be based in the

Lake Nona area, supplying USTA and its members with the use of over 100 courts. The centre will house the USTA’s Community

Tennis and Player Development divisions, which are primarily based in New York. The development has been devised in

order to bridge the gap between promising young players and elite professionals, with

the complex boasting a tournament and league area with 40 hard and clay courts and player pavilions. This area will also feature a tournament administration offi ce that will include trainer rooms, a stringer area, player lounge, public restrooms and a check-in area. Also proposed are 12 courts for intercollegi- ate use, allowing for the University of Central Florida to host its home matches there. To ensure progression for talented

youngsters, the base will feature 16 courts, which are dedicated to the development of up and coming tennis players. The USTA hopes that the centre will be opened in late 2016, or by early 2017 at the very latest.

vice president John Coutes said Rio de Janeiro’s preparations for the 2016 summer games were the “worst he’d ever seen,” with rumours swirling that London had been contacted as a back up to host the event should preparations in Rio fall through. The US$46m (€33.8m, US$27.1m) Rio tennis facility – designed by AECOM – will have a 10,000-seat center court, two temporary stadiums that can seat 5,000 and 3,000 spectators and support and warm-up courts that hold 250 people. The facility is scheduled to hold the tennis events for the 2016 Summer Olympics, and the wheelchair tennis events for the 2016 Summer Paralympics. The Olympic Tennis Centre will be part of the Olympic Training Centre (OTC), a key legacy of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Other structures being created for the 2016 event include the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Olympic Hall, Olympic Velodrome and a golf course. Details: http://lei.sr?a=0B8N7